


The Cursed Manor

by VioletGrey1020



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 17:04:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16496669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletGrey1020/pseuds/VioletGrey1020
Summary: A young girl on the run from her ex-boyfriend finds an old manor - and five handsome boys under a mysterious curse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" music video.

Sylvia drove onto the highway, eyes on the road ahead, hands on the wheel. Her thoughts, however, strayed from her driving and onto her problems.  
Or, to be more accurate, her problem (singular).  
Having finished High School at 17 (a year early), Sylvia had decided to spend her year off with her boyfriend, Victor. They’d lived in a small apartment together in a town a few hours from home. Sylvia’s parents had not been pleased, but Sylvia hadn’t cared. Victor was a dreamboat. She’d fallen for him. Hard.   
So, when she’d accidentally answered a phone call from some girl who’d spent the night with Victor at a bar (the night Victor had said he’d spent with his school buddies), Sylvia had left the apartment. Not without a trace, though: she’d left him a small note calling him every expletive she could think of and swearing she’d never see him again.  
Sylvia exhaled sadly. She was happy to be returning home, but heartbroken that Victor had lied to her this way. How could she trust another man after him?  
The road now became single lane both ways, with the right lane hugging the mountaintop and the left lane at the edge of a steep cliff over a river. Sylvia looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes widened, and she took another look.  
It was Victor, in his red convertible. And he was following her.  
Sylvia sped up a little bit. Victor matched her speed. She turned onto a dirt road and drove down, hoping to lose him.   
Not only did he catch up to her, he slammed into the trunk. Sylvia gripped the wheel and tried to maintain control. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that her suitcase had fallen from the passenger seat onto the floor. At least it was within reach should she have to jump out. Which looked like the best option.  
The phone rang. Sylvia ignored it and pressed down on the accelerator. At the same time, she grabbed her suitcase and unbuckled her seatbelt. She opened the door and leaped out as her car struck a tree and Victor’s car skidded to a stop.  
“Sylvia!” Victor’s voice called out, sounding frightened.  
Sylvia tore through the forest, pushing aside tree branches and running over tree roots. Her legs and arms ached, and her face kept getting scratched, but she wouldn’t stop running.   
Not until it started to rain.  
Sylvia fell on her knees, panting with exhaustion. At the same time, she looked around. No Victor in sight, and no sound of anyone else.  
It should have assured Sylvia, but it didn’t. She was all alone in a forest, in the rain, with nowhere to go.  
Then, she saw it. The top of a roof, poking out between the trees.  
Sylvia stood up, her clothes soaked through now. She was safe.   
Or so she thought. When she was close enough to see the house, she wasn’t so sure anymore. For one thing, it looked like every single haunted castle she’d ever seen (in a horror movie). Pointed turrets resembling witch hats, stained glass windows with yellow lights showing through, most of the house surrounded by rock and ivy.  
Oh, yeah, and there was an iron gate and fence surrounding the whole thing.  
Sylvia walked up to the gate and gingerly touched the bars. The gate easily swung open. At the same time, it stopped raining and the moon poked out from behind some clouds.   
Was this a good idea or not? Sylvia smiled ironically as she considered her choices: Run back into the woods and meet up with Victor, or enter a potentially haunted house.  
The haunted house it was.  
Sylvia walked through the gate and looked around. There was a small rose garden in front, with wilting blooms hanging their heads. It was a sad sight.  
Sylvia climbed the stone steps. Beside the door was an iron ring. She knocked on it and waited; then, feeling a bit silly, turned the knob.  
The door was not locked.  
Sylvia entered the house and almost collided with an old man. He wore a black tuxedo and the most bewildered expression on his face. “And who might you be?” he asked.  
Sylvia smiled, trying to calm herself and reassure the man. “My name is Sylvia. My car has broken down, and I needed a place to sleep.”  
“No one has knocked on this door for over 20 years.” The man stepped aside. “Come in.”  
“Thank you. What is your name?”  
“They call me Butler.” The man turned and led the way in.  
Sylvia shut the door, giggling. Butler? What a stupid name. Then, she realized something. He had said “they”.  
Who were “they”?


	2. Chapter 2

Butler escorted Sylvia up a flight of stairs and down a narrow corridor to a bedroom, the door ajar. “You may change into dry clothes while dinner is prepared,” he told her.  
“Thank you.” Sylvia paused, but decided to ask anyway. “Who else lives here?”  
“You will know soon enough.” Butler bowed and walked away.  
Interesting. The more Sylvia learned about and saw the house, the more she was fascinated.   
After pulling on another T-shirt and a dry pair of leggings, Sylvia left the room and walked towards the stairs. As she walked, she stared at the paintings on the wall, which included both landscapes and portraits. She felt like she was inside a museum  
As she climbed down the stairs, the sound of organ music hit her ears. An organ? How much creepier could this get?   
Sylvia cautiously followed the sounds. She passed through a large ballroom and into another, smaller room. There was a pipe organ, and a man sitting in front of it, wearing a black tuxedo, his back turned towards her.  
Sylvia crossed over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hello?”  
He turned around, and Sylvia took a step back. The man had very short black hair and a single ring in his right ear. Part of his face was covered by a silver mask. Behind it, however, was a red rash.   
He sat back, looking shocked himself. “Who are you?”  
“Sylvia,” she answered, feeling a bit awkward. “Who are you?”  
“AJ.”  
AJ? That was a very modern name. “Oh. I thought your name was Eric, like the Phantom of the Opera.”  
AJ laughed. “Nah, I haven’t got his voice or charisma. Although I used to be quite the lady’s man.” He looked her over again. “You seem normal.”  
“I only just got here.”  
“That makes sense.”  
“Is this place cursed or something?”  
Before AJ could reply, someone else entered. “Supper’s ready.” He, too, stopped in disbelief.  
Like AJ, part of his face was disfigured, this time by something that looked like blue and yellow mold. He also had black hair, but he wore glasses and the beginnings of a moustache and beard.  
AJ made the introductions. “Kevin, this is Sylvia. Sylvia, my friend, Kevin.”  
“Hi,” Sylvia said with a wave.  
“You gotta be joking.” Kevin walked over to Sylvia and began circling around her.  
“We haven’t seen anyone new for 20 years,” AJ explained.   
“That’s what Butler said. Is he cursed or something, too?”  
“No clue. He’s never told us.”  
There came a scuffling sound from the doorway. Sylvia turned too late, and she fell to the floor, with a large dog on top of her.  
“Brian, remember your manners!” AJ said sharply. “Get off Sylvia right now!”  
As Sylvia sat up, she gasped. It wasn’t a dog, or an animal at all.  
Brian was a werewolf. His hair stuck up, and his teeth stuck out. His body was draped with fur, and his fingers covered with rings. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Dog instincts.”  
“Okay, how many of you are there?” Sylvia asked. “Just asking.”  
“Not counting old Butler, five,” AJ answered. “There’s us, then Howie and Nick.”  
“What are you doing here anyway?” Brian asked.  
“I crashed my car in the woods outside.” Sylvia stopped. “Wait a sec. Butler said he hadn’t seen anyone new in 20 years. Does that mean you’ve all been here for…”  
“20 years? Yeah, pretty much,” Kevin nodded.  
“Is Brian doing his impressions again?” A guy in a suit and top hat strutted in. “Because he sounds pretty good.”   
“I can’t do a woman, or anything in my werewolf form, you twerp,” Brian snapped.  
“And explain how he happens to be a wolf and a girl at the same time,” Kevin added.  
The vampire’s eyes widened, and he grinned, showing off perfect fangs. “Pleased to meet you.” He took Sylvia’s hand and bent over it.   
With lightning reflexes, Sylvia quickly pulled it away from him. “Pleased to meet you, too. I’m guessing you’re Howie.”  
“Yeah, how’d you guess?”  
Sylvia shrugged. “All the Howies I know have dark hair and pale skin.”  
“Really? Are all of them vampires?” A mummy walked in, cracking up. “Ha ha.”  
“Shut up, Nick,” Howie called over to him.   
“Sorry.” Nick stopped in front of Sylvia. She had to look up to see his face. From underneath the bandages, she could see some strands of blonde hair.  
And what she saw of his face looked cute.  
“What’s your name?” Nick asked.  
“Sylvia.”  
“Sylvia. Nice name. Rolls off the tongue.”  
Butler’s voice startled everybody. “Is anyone coming to dinner?”


	3. Chapter 3

Sylvia, AJ, and Kevin ate at the table in the dining room. Brian ate on the floor, being a werewolf, while Howie and Nick, being a vampire and mummy, sat and watched everyone else eat.  
“So, what is this place called?” Sylvia asked.  
“Windy Manor,” AJ answered.  
“Windy Manor?” Sylvia repeated. AJ held a finger to his lips. Sylvia listened. From the woods, she could hear the sound of a very strong breeze in the treetops.  
“Original, isn’t it?” Nick smirked.  
“So, what happened to you five?” Sylvia asked. “Did you enter the house on Halloween and play with a Ouija board or something?”  
Kevin grimaced. “We, um, actually did.”  
Sylvia stared at him. “What? Oh, come on.”  
“No, really.” Howie leaned forward and explained, “The owner of the house, Trinity McAdams, had died 30 years before we stopped at the house. We were out trick-or-treating and took a wrong turn.”  
“Whose idea was it to use the Ouija board?” Sylvia asked sceptically.  
Simultaneously, the other boys pointed at AJ. “It was supposed to be a fun game,” he protested.   
“Butler wasn’t impressed,” Nick frowned. “He said Trinity had disapproved of Ouija boards and had banned them from the house. But AJ had bought it the day before and wanted to try it out.”  
“See if they were really that bad,” AJ added.  
“And Trinity didn’t approve,” Sylvia said.  
“Whoever we were communicating with didn’t approve,” Brian piped up. “We kept getting NO to all our questions. Then, AJ suggested we ask the ghost, or whoever, jokes.”  
Sylvia looked from one boy to the other. “You’re all cute, but you’re also pretty stupid.”  
Nick burst out laughing and keeled over. His friends glared at him until he stopped.   
“What exactly is the curse?” Sylvia wanted to know. “Obviously you didn’t die.”  
“Lucky for us,” Kevin nodded. “Well, we became the monsters we were dressed up as. We’re not allowed outside – Brian tried to go out once and was actually blocked by this invisible wall.”  
“Not fun,” Brian interjected.  
“Howie and Brian can’t wake up until dusk, and they can only stay up until dawn. We assume our handsome, human forms ONCE, on Halloween.”  
“And the worst part?” Nick sighed. “No girls.”  
“That’s not the worst part,” Howie snapped. “I can’t grow a beard.”  
“You wouldn’t look good with one,” Kevin said, stroking his moustache.   
“Is there any way of breaking the curse?” Sylvia asked. This time, she was the one the boys were staring at. “What? I just wanted to know.”  
“You don’t need to worry about it,” AJ said quickly. “Butler said you’re only staying for one night, after all.”  
“I have no idea where I am, and I might run into my ex-boyfriend – who happens to be a liar and a jerk – so I might as well stay here for a while longer. That is,” Sylvia added, “if you want me here.”  
“It’s like asking if Nick is a heartbreaker,” Kevin said. “’Cuz he is.”  
“Great.” Sylvia stood up. “Thanks so much. And I meant what I said. I really want to help you. And I want to explore the house while I have a chance.”  
“As long as you’re comfortable here, it’s all that matters,” AJ said. Butler appeared and led Sylvia away.  
Nick looked at AJ. “Come on, AJ. She might be our only chance.”  
“That’s the problem.” AJ massaged his temples. “She is our only chance. What happens if we ask her, and she fails? Or worse, if she says no?”


	4. Chapter 4

Sylvia slept until nine in the morning. At first, she couldn’t remember where she was. The four-poster bed, the red velvet curtains, were so unfamiliar.  
Then she remembered. Windy Manor. Monsters.  
Nick.  
Just seeing his face made her smile. And reminded her that she had a job to do.  
First, she had breakfast with Butler and asked him some more questions about Windy Manor and himself. Since Trinity had had no children, she’d willed the house to her butler, who still wouldn’t give Sylvia his real name.  
“What’s it like having boys in the house?” she asked.   
“These young men have been well-behaved for the most part. Of course, the curse limits their movements.”  
“How do you break the curse?”  
Butler smiled grimly. “That I cannot tell you. Not yet.” He stood up. “The library is in the room to your left.”  
“Thank you.” Sylvia left the kitchen and entered the library. It was more of a study, with a wooden writing desk in the center and large bookcases behind it.  
Sylvia immediately pulled out all the books. She separated them into fiction and nonfiction, then further sorted the nonfiction into books about the McAdam family and books about other subjects.  
“You might not find anything there.” Kevin was standing by the desk. Sylvia hadn’t noticed him. “It would be too easy.”  
“Then you tell me.”  
Kevin shook his head. “AJ said not to.”  
“Who’s the leader of your group?” Sylvia asked.  
“AJ.”  
“By birth or default?”  
“He was always our leader.”  
Sylvia sighed. “Even if I find nothing, I’ll learn the history about the place. Okay?”  
“Okay, okay. Yeesh.”   
“Sorry, Kevin. It’s a little frustrating, though, when no one will tell you anything.”  
“I know.”  
Kevin went over the books with Sylvia. By the time AJ entered, telling them lunch was ready, Sylvia’s eyes were burning.  
“Did you find anything?” AJ asked.  
“As a matter of fact, yes.” Sylvia looked up at him. “Trinity McAdams’ grandfather, Edward McAdams, bought one of the first commercial ‘Ouija’ boards over a hundred years ago and used it to communicate with his dead wife. The board was passed down to Trinity, who played with it at gatherings with friends. One night, the board predicted that one of those friends would die. Right after the party, the girl got drunk and crashed her car, killing herself and Trinity’s boyfriend. Trinity buried the board in the woods and vowed to never touch one again. She never married, but would always welcome anyone who entered the house.”  
“And you read this…where?”   
Sylvia held up a book. “Her diary.”   
Nick poked his head in. “That’s nice and all, but aren’t you hungry? I’m starving.”  
“Yeah, and you got no stomach to digest anything.” AJ followed him out.  
“Are you going to search for the board?” Kevin asked Sylvia.  
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll wait for some more information.”  
“You didn’t tell us everything last night, did you?”  
Sylvia looked away. “I’ll tell you. Eventually. I just need to adjust to everything.”  
Kevin nodded. “Okay.”


	5. Chapter 5

Sylvia spent a week at the Manor, reading the books and searching the house for some clue. For some reason, whenever the thought of leaving crossed her mind, she pushed it aside. She liked the Manor. And she liked the boys. Especially Nick.  
Two days after she arrived, Sylvia was down in the basement. She carried a flashlight in her hand, just in case she ran into rats and spiders.  
And Howie. Whether it was because he was vampire or the way that he had look at her, Sylvia didn’t feel safe around him.  
Something jabbed her in the ribs. “Hello.”  
Sylvia spun around. “Damn it, Nick, what was that for?”  
Nick laughed and leaned against the wall. “To scare you. What else?”  
“Have you always been like this?”  
“As a mummy or a prankster?”  
“Prankster.”  
Nick pushed back a strand of hair. “Pretty much, yeah. Brian can do the impressions, but I can scare the shit out of everyone with my tricks.”  
“And the girls?”  
“They love it. Or loved it, I should say.”  
Sylvia stepped a little closer. “How old are you?”  
“18 biologically.”  
“I’m 17.”  
“Seriously? So you’re still in High School?”  
“Graduated. You?”  
“Same.”  
“And the others?”  
“Kevin was in the middle of his college studies – he wanted to be a biologist. Howie and AJ had just gotten back from visiting their relatives in Puerto Rico. And Brian was finishing up a gig with his Christian rock band.”  
“And how’d you all meet up?”  
“School and family. Kevin and Brian are cousins, you know.”  
Sylvia shook her head. “That’s crazy.”  
“I know.” Nick waved in front of them. “Come see my sarcophagus.”  
It was nice and roomy in there. Sylvia spent the next hour there, listening to Nick and exchanging stories with him.  
“Victor deserved it,” he said after Sylvia told him about her ex-boyfriend. “No one should be treated like you were.”  
“I know, but I’d never felt that way before him. I trusted him so much.” The tears Sylvia had held back now streamed down her cheeks. Nick held her against him as she sobbed into his chest. Kevin peeked into the room to see what the commotion was, but Nick shooed him away.  
A few days later, AJ knocked on Sylvia’s door. Sylvia had been in the middle of unpacking her suitcase – yes, she’d put it off for quite a while. “Sylvia, can I ask you something?”  
Sylvia pushed the suitcase out of sight and opened the door. “Sure, AJ. What is it?”  
“How does a Halloween party sound?”  
“Sounds fun!”  
“Great. You’ll be our guest of honor, since you just arrived here last week.”  
Sylvia thought of something. “Is there anyone else coming?”  
“Yes, actually. We have some ghosts joining us, and Howie’s girlfriends.”  
“Girlfriends?”  
“Vampires. They pass through every now and then.”  
Sylvia shivered. Just because they were girls didn’t mean they’d be any better than Howie. “What should I wear?”  
“What do you have?”  
“A strappy black dress, a white sundress, and-“  
“Doesn’t matter. You look good no matter what you wear.”  
Sylvia ducked her head, smiling coyly. “Thanks, AJ.”  
“Expect a big surprise at midnight.” AJ wiggled his fingers and walked away, while Sylvia returned to her packing.


	6. Chapter 6

Halloween was the next day. Sylvia put off further search efforts. She hadn’t found out how to break the curse or where the Ouija board was buried. Speaking of boards, the boys had hidden it away under a stone in the basement. Or, more accurately, Nick had. He wouldn’t say where.  
Sylvia shook her head as she brushed out her hair. She wasn’t going to think about it tonight. She would just have fun with the boys. Especially with Nick.  
What was it about Nick?  
Sylvia looked at herself in the mirror. The dress that she had bought last year for Halloween – when she’d gone as Elena of Avalor – was still looking good. Red and off-shoulder, with the skirt trailing down to the floor, it looked spectacular with the gold hoops and pendant she’d gotten for her birthday. She debated on whether to keep her hair loose, but she finally decided to tie it back in a ponytail.  
Butler met her at the foot of the stairs. He still wore a grim look on his face, but he was fidgeting with excitement. “Good evening, Sylvia.”  
“Good evening, Butler.” She extended her hand, and he took it and led her into the dining room, where the boys were already gathered.  
After dinner, they went into the ballroom, where many people – dressed in peasant blouses, skirts/pants, or gowns – were assembled. In one corner was an orchestra.  
“Wow. You’ve really outdone yourself,” Sylvia remarked.  
“It’s all for you,” AJ grinned.  
“One minute until midnight!” Nick cried, pointing at the clock.  
Everyone watched as the hands moved closer to the number 12.  
Closer.  
Closer.  
Kevin was the first one to change. The blue-and-yellow markings disappeared from his face. His tuxedo and glasses vanished, replaced by a white, ruffled shirt (opened to show his bare chest) and black pants.  
Next was Brian. The fur changed into a white shirt with a gold vest. His hair remained the same color as his fur.  
Then AJ. Without the mask, he looked like a regular bad boy. Especially with the tattoos visible on his arms. His tux was now a white sleeveless shirt with a black vest.  
Howie’s black coat changed into a red shirt. Some color appeared in his cheeks, and his eyes sparkled as he pushed his dark hair back.  
Finally, the bandages fell away from Nick’s body. His blonde hair fell into his eyes, and he stood before Sylvia in a long-sleeved white shirt with a yellow embroidered vest.  
Sylvia couldn’t speak at first. Then, all she could manage was, “Wow.”  
“You’re blushing,” Nick grinned.  
“I’m not.”  
“You are.” Nick pressed his hand to her cheek. “See? It’s warm.”  
Sylvia stood still, not daring to breathe. Nick had touched her. She didn’t want him to take his hand away.  
Then, the music started. A fast, energetic number. Sylvia felt like she was back at her High School prom as she jumped and swayed to the rhythm.  
Then, the music slowed. Nick took her in his arms, and they gently spun around.  
Sylvia danced with each of the boys. But after Howie, she returned to Nick.   
As the music sped up again, Nick grabbed Sylvia’s hand and led her up the stairs to her room. She unbuttoned his shirt, he pulled off her hairband and dress.  
And as the two lovers kissed beneath the sheets, the music downstairs played on and on.


	7. Chapter 7

When Sylvia woke up, she was alone and naked in bed. Sighing in ecstasy, she closed her eyes and relived those wild moments all over again.  
“Sylvia?” AJ’s voice called from behind the door. “We’re all downstairs.”  
“Just a sec.” Sylvia quickly dressed, brushed her hair, and hurried downstairs.  
AJ, Kevin, and Nick were at the table, in their monster forms. “How’d you sleep last night?” AJ asked.  
“Good.” Thoughts of Nick’s hands all over her body entered Sylvia’s mind, and she blushed.  
AJ gestured to a chair. “Sit down, Sylvia.” When she did, he began, “You’re probably still wondering about the curse.”  
“Yes.” The hairs on Sylvia’s neck tingled. Were they finally going to tell her?  
“After we turned into monsters, Trinity communicated with us through the Ouija board,” Kevin told her. “She gave us instructions on how to break the curse.”  
“Which were?”  
Kevin and AJ turned to Nick. He hesitated, then blurted out, “Find a girl who will fall in love with one of you before you die or 25 years have passed. Otherwise, you’re doomed to remain in the Manor for all eternity.”  
Sylvia forced a laugh. “That’s a bit melodramatic.”  
“We thought so at first. But Trinity kept repeating it until we believed her.” AJ looked straight into Sylvia’s eyes. “You’re the first girl to enter the house, Sylvia. You’re our only hope.”  
Sylvia’s mouth fell open. She squirmed and looked down. “You don’t…love us?” Kevin asked. “Any of us?”  
Sylvia raised her head. Nick, Kevin, and AJ waited for her answer.  
She said slowly, “I like you, all of you. But I don’t love you.”  
“Is it because of Victor?” Nick asked.  
Kevin turned to him. “Who’s Victor?”  
“Victor doesn’t have anything to do with it.” Sylvia’s eyes filled with tears. Angrily, she wiped them away. “Look, guys, I want to help you, but I don’t think I can.”  
“Sylvia.” Nick put his arm around her. She pushed him aside, stood up, and ran back to her bedroom.  
“Do you think she’ll stay now?” Kevin asked AJ.   
“I don’t know.” AJ looked at Nick. He stood, frozen to the spot in shock. “Nick, you love Sylvia.”  
“I do.” Nick turned to AJ, tears on his cheeks as well. “And I’m afraid of losing her.”

*

Sylvia spent the day in her room, packing her clothes. She couldn’t stay here, giving them false hope and lying to them. And to herself.  
She loved Nick. No, she didn’t. She didn’t know what love was. Not after Victor.  
She placed the suitcase on the floor and fell back onto the bed. The excitement during the past week, plus the hours spent at the dance the night before, had left her feeling exhausted. Her eyes closed.  
Then opened. Someone was on her.  
Howie pressed her body down on the sheets. “Lie still.”  
“What are you doing?” Sylvia croaked.  
“Drawing out your blood. Just because they can’t have you doesn’t mean I can’t.”  
“You can’t force me to love you.”  
“It’s not love,” Howie hissed. “It’s lust.” He twisted Sylvia’s neck to the side and brushed her hair away from her skin.   
Sylvia squirmed and cried out, “Nick! Help me!”  
Howie’s mouth moved closer to her neck.  
Then, he was jerked back by Nick. “Are you okay?” Nick asked Sylvia.  
“Yes,” she said weakly.   
“Let me go!” Howie shouted. Nick ignored him and dragged him out of the room.  
Sylvia’s mind was made up. Not only was it awkward to stay at the Manor.  
It was dangerous.


	8. Chapter 8

“How could you have been such a jerk?” AJ confronted Howie downstairs shortly after Sylvia left the Manor. The other boys stood around them, watching them.  
“I was desperate,” Howie protested.   
“So were we all,” Kevin said. “But you shouldn’t have forced yourself on her. Thanks to you, she’s gone.”  
“That’s not true.” Butler stood before them, hands on his hips. “Sylvia is an honest girl, but also confused. She loves Nick. And unless I am mistaken, she will be back before long.”  
“How long is it going to be?” Nick demanded.   
“Who knows,” Butler sighed. “Who knows.”

*

Sylvia ran through the woods, her chest burning from the exertion and her attempts to keep herself from crying. She would not break down. This was the right thing to do.   
“Sylvia!” Victor appeared before her.  
Sylvia stopped, not daring to believe what she was seeing. “Victor? What are you doing here?”  
“I’ve been looking for you, Sylvia. I couldn’t believe you were dead. So, I followed your tracks. It was damn hard, but it worked.” Victor took a step forward. “You’re coming back with me.”  
“No, Victor.” Sylvia stepped back, clutching her suitcase tightly.  
Victor laughed harshly. “And why not?”  
“You’re a liar and a cheat. I can’t trust you anymore.”   
“I’ll make you see otherwise. I’ve changed.”  
“Have you?” Sylvia shook her head. “No, Victor. It’s over between us.” She turned to go.  
He grabbed her by the arms and jerked her back.  
She twisted her leg and swung her foot put to his groin. He dropped to the ground, howling in agony.  
Sylvia ran back the way she’d come, panting. Screw everything she’d said and decided to do. She had to go back to the Manor.  
Hopefully, they would take her back.

*

The pain finally died away, and Victor stood up. Sylvia had run away again, this time with a good head start.  
How would he find her now?  
Victor kicked the ground in frustration.  
A piece of wood poked up from the dirt. Curious, he pulled it out.  
It was a Ouija board. Partly rotten, but still looking in good shape.  
Victor searched for the planchette. It was buried not far away. Joining the pieces together, Victor knelt down and asked, “Anyone there?”  
The planchette moved to the word “Yes.”  
Victor asked, “I’m looking for my girlfriend. Do you know where she is?”  
The planchette moved again. Yes.  
Victor’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Where is she?”


	9. Chapter 9

Sylvia arrived at the gate. Looking over her shoulder in case Victor was behind her, she pushed on the gate.  
It stayed shut.  
Sylvia tried again, harder. It was still locked. She swung her suitcase over the fence and then pulled herself up. She then jumped and landed with a painful thud on the other side.  
Picking herself up, she took her suitcase and rushed to the door. Banging on it with all her might, she cried, “Open up! It’s me, Sylvia!”  
There was silence for a few seconds. Then, just when Sylvia thought she had been locked out of Windy Manor for good, the door opened.  
AJ stared in surprise. “Sylvia? What are you-?”  
“Victor was in the woods. He wanted me to go back with him.”  
“Nick told us about him. Did he hurt you?”  
“No, it was the other way around.”   
By now the other boys were at the doorway with Butler. Brian’s ears stood upright. “I hear something.” Everyone strained their ears. Sure enough, the faint sound of police sirens could be heard not far away.  
“This is bad,” Kevin murmured.  
“What are we gonna do?” Howie asked.   
Sylvia turned to Nick. “Where did you bury the Ouija board?”  
Nick raised his hands. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”  
“I don’t care if it’s a good idea or not. It’s the only idea we have!” Sylvia softened her voice. “Please, Nick. If we can get in contact with Trinity, maybe she can help us out.”  
“She may choose not to help you,” Butler told her.  
“We have to give it a try,” Sylvia answered him.  
Nick nodded. “Come on!” He led the group downstairs and to the sarcophagus. With AJ’s help, he moved the sarcophagus back and lifted one of the stones off the floor.  
“You’re kidding,” Howie said. “You hid the thing there?”  
“And never touched it.”  
AJ assembled the pieces together and nodded at Sylvia and the boys. “Put your fingers on the planchette. Sylvia, you ask the questions.”   
Sylvia tried to calm herself, breathing in and out slowly. “Trinity, are you there?” she asked.  
The planchette moved to Yes.  
Sylvia swallowed. “We’re sorry to disturb you, but we’ve got trouble. My ex is here with the police. He is dangerous and may try to hurt AJ and his gang. Do you know how we can stop him?”  
At first, nothing happened. Then, the planchette moved around the board. Kevin spelled out the letters. “C-A-R-O-L-I-N-E D-E W-I-N-T-E-R.”  
“’CAROLINE DE WINTER’?” Howie frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense.”  
“’CAROLINE DE WINTER.’ Wait a minute!” Sylvia turned excitedly to him. “There’s a book called Rebecca, and a scene where someone dresses up as a woman named Caroline de Winter for a costume party.”  
“That is correct,” Butler called from outside the basement. “Rebecca was Trinity’s favorite novel, and she dressed as Caroline for Halloween one year. I believe we still have the costume.”  
“What’s it look like?” Nick asked.  
“A white dress with a curly wig and white flowers.”  
“I get it,” AJ said. “Dress Sylvia up as a ghost and scare the visitors away. And if that doesn’t work and they enter the house…”  
“We’ll finish them off,” Brian nodded, baring his teeth.  
“Thank you, Trinity,” Sylvia said, addressing the board. “Hopefully, this will work.”  
The planchette moved again. “I HOPE SO, TOO. GOOD-BYE.”


	10. Chapter 10

“I’m not superstitious,” one of the police officers remarked to Victor as they pulled up in front of the house, “but this place gives me the creeps.”  
“Shut up,” Victor snapped. “My ex is here. I know it.”  
“And just how do you know?” the other officer asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Victor looked away. “I have my means.”  
They got out of the car and marched up to the gate. It would not open. “This is rusted,” said the second officer.  
His colleague gulped. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? What if someone lives here?”  
“Then, that person would come and let us in. Now, shut up!”  
A strong gust of wind struck swept through the trees. Victor rubbed his hands together to warm them from the sharp, cold blast.  
The first officer grabbed his shoulder. “Look! Over there!” In the garden, standing among the wilting flowers, was a young girl all dressed in white. She stared at them, then turned and walked into the house. “There are ghosts in here,” the first officer cringed.  
The second officer pushed the gate open and glared at him. “That was no ghost. It was a person trying to scare us away. Victor, do you recognize her?”  
“Yes,” Victor nodded. “I’m sure that’s Sylvia. Come on.” The three strode up to the door and twisted the knob.   
An old man jerked the door open, sending Victor sprawling onto the floor. “And what can I do for you at this late hour? Surely it is almost midnight.”  
“Be quiet.” Victor pointed at him. “Make sure he doesn’t slip away.”   
The second officer nodded. “Right. Brett, you keep an eye on him, since you’re so scared.”  
“Sure, Rick.” Brett seemed relieved as he leaned against the wall and shut his eyes.   
As the two men walked further into the building, all the lights turned off. Rick muttered an oath and switched on his flashlight.  
A vampire appeared in front of them.  
The men jumped back, and the vampire quickly ran off. “Don’t let him get away!” Victor cried. He sped in that direction – straight into a suit of armor.  
Rick scratched his head. “Maybe Brett was right and the girl we saw was a ghost.”  
“Halloween was yesterday, stupid.” Victor picked up the spear that had fallen from the suit of armor’s grasp. “Let’s see if there are any more scares in store for us.”   
At that moment, someone began playing the theme to The Phantom of the Opera on an organ. Rick and Victor exchanged glances and walked in that direction. As they entered the room from which the music was coming from, a man with a deformed face jumped in front of them. “Boo!”  
Rick helped up his gun. “Don’t make me use this.”  
The man shook his head. “Seriously. I’m unarmed.” Then he punched Victor in the face.  
Rick turned to ask Victor if he was okay. Someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him out of the room. The music stopped at the same time.  
Victor picked up the flashlight Rick had dropped and shone it around him. There was no one in the room.   
The lights came on. Victor ran out, in time to see the scarred man, the vampire, and another guy with a mask chase the police officers out. “Get back here, you cowards!” Victor yelled.  
“We’ll wait out here!” Brett called back.  
“Just need to get reinforcements,” Rick added.  
“Hello, Victor.” Victor spun around to see Sylvia standing behind him.   
“You did all this, with your freakish friends,” Victor snarled.  
Sylvia shook her head. “You brought this upon yourself, Victor. If you’d been true to me…”  
“I do what I please, and no slut is going to tell me otherwise.” Victor waved his spear. “Either you come with me, or I’ll use this.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.” Sylvia grabbed her skirts and started up the staircase. Victor aimed the spear and fired.  
It would have hit her ribs, had it not been for the mummy that got in the way.  
Victor brushed past him and hurried up the stairs after Sylvia. He ran down a narrow corridor, but saw no one there.   
Then, as he turned around, a werewolf jumped on him, pinning him to the ground.  
A few steps away, Sylvia nodded at the creature. “Finish him, Brian.”  
Victor let out a horrible scream as Brian bit into his neck.


	11. Chapter 11

Sylvia looked away while Brian killed Victor. As she did, she saw Nick’s body roll down the stairs, the spear lodged in his chest. “Nick!” She ran down to the foot of the staircase and held him in her arms.  
Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Howie crowded around her as she pulled out the spear. “Nick, please answer me!” Sylvia shrieked, stroking his hair.  
Nick moved slightly and murmured, “Sylvia, you okay?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good.” Nick tried to smile. “I wish you’d seen the officers. That Brett near the entrance was so spooked by me appearing in front of him. Then, Butler mysteriously disappeared and-“ He coughed, spewing blood.  
Sylvia looked up at AJ. His somber expression confirmed her fears. “Nick, don’t go. Please don’t go.”  
“I’m sorry, Sylvia.” Nick squeezed her fingers and closed his eyes.  
“No, Nick!” Sylvia bent over him and whispered, “I love you, Nick.” Her dress became stained with red as she lay on his chest and sobbed.  
At that moment, the clock struck midnight. And shattered.  
From the shards of glass came rays of bright light that struck everyone and everything.  
Brian was the first one to change. He stared in disbelief as his fur and claws became skin and hands once again.  
AJ and Kevin felt their faces and stared at each other. “Well, aren’t you a handsome devil,” Kevin grinned.  
“I feel like one, too,” AJ laughed.  
“I don’t think I’ve changed,” Howie groaned.   
“You got a beard,” Kevin said in a deadpan voice.  
“Really?”  
“Just kidding.”  
“Look at Nick!” Brian gasped, pointing.  
The rays of light had gathered together to form an orb surrounding Sylvia and Nick. It became so bright, that the others had to cover their eyes.  
When they looked again, Nick and Sylvia were standing in front of them. Sylvia’s ghost costume had now become a deep red dress similar to what she’d worn the night before. Nick was in his dance costume, his arm around Sylvia. “Hey, guys,” he croaked. The boys whooped and ran to give them a group hug.  
At that moment, the house began to shake. “We’d better get out of here,” Howie cried. “We’re not immortal anymore.”  
“You aren’t,” Nick said, running after him. One by one, they ran out of the Manor. As they turned around, the roof caved in, and the house fell down.  
“We never did find out who Butler was,” Brian sighed.   
“Maybe he was a ghost,” Sylvia suggested.  
“What a comforting thought,” AJ said sarcastically.  
Rick and Brett called from behind the gate, “Hey, kids! We’re still here!” With them were two other police cars.  
Sylvia and the boys turned to stare at them. “Should we go with them?” AJ asked.   
“We’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Brian pointed out. “A lot.”  
“Then let’s get started.” Sylvia smiled at Nick. “My parents will love you, Nick.”  
“Not as much as I love you,” Nick grinned before giving her a kiss.


End file.
